1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hair clippers or trimmers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hair clipper having a rotating clipper blade assembly. The clipper blade assembly of the present invention rotates about an axis substantially normal to the cutting plane defined by the blade assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electric hair clippers having a clipper blade assembly including a stationary blade and a reciprocating blade are known in the art. The stationary blade and the reciprocating blade each have a plurality of teeth along the leading edge of the blades. The clipper blade assembly is mounted to the clipper handle such that the teeth of the stationary blade are substantially parallel to the teeth of the reciprocating blade. In this manner, reciprocating the reciprocating blade with respect to the stationary blade trims hair positioned between the teeth.
The width of the blade assembly dictates the area on one""s body from which hair can be effectively removed. For instance, wide blade assemblies are useful for removing hair from large areas, such as the face, head, legs or back. However, wide blade assemblies prove to be too cumbersome and un-useable in areas such as the nose, ears, and the like. In these locations, narrow blade assemblies prove much more useful.
Currently, a user either needs multiple devices, namely a device with a narrow blade assembly and a second device with a wide blade assembly, or a single device with interchangeable blade assemblies. Neither solution is desirable to the consumer. Multiple devices are duplicative and expensive. A single device with interchangeable blade assemblies has too many parts that can be easily lost. Thus, it is desirable to provide a hair clipper that permits adjustment of the blade assembly so as to provide both wide and narrow blade assemblies to the user in a single, simple device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,581 assigned on its face to Wahl Clipper Corporation is directed to a clipper blade having multiple cutting edges, namely a cutting edge at each end of the blade. However, the cutting edges on each end are substantially identical such that each blade can be used as either of the fixed blade or the moving blade. Thus, the use of wide and narrow blades in the same blade assembly is not provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,799 also assigned on its face to Wahl Clipper Corporation is directed to a hair clipper having a balland-socket connection being provided between the handle and the blade assembly. The ball-and-socket configuration allows the blade assembly to be pivoted with respect to the handle. However, the ability to rotate the blade assembly about an axis substantially normal to the cutting plane defined by the blade assembly is not provided. Moreover, the use of wide and narrow blades in the same blade assembly is not provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,616 is also assigned on its face to Wahl Clipper Corporation. This patent is directed to a hair trimmer that includes a blade housing that is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the handle to vary the angular orientation of the blade housing with respect to the handle. However, the ability to rotate the blade assembly about an axis substantially normal to the cutting plane defined by the blade assembly is not provided. Moreover, the use of wide and narrow blades in the same blade assembly is not provided.
German Patent DE 198 59 017 C1 assigned on its face to Braun GbmH is directed to a hair trimmer that provides both wide and narrow blades to the user in a single device. Specifically, the cutting head is swiveled around a swivel axis that is substantially parallel to the blade assembly. The cutting head also includes two different cutting and separate cutting blades. Moreover, only one of the cutting blades is operable at a time. Thus, a clipper with a blade assembly that rotates about an axis substantially normal to the cutting plane defined by the blade assembly so as to present to the user one of several different cutting edges is not provided. Moreover, such a simple rotatable clipper having a single cutting blade is not provided.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for simple hair clippers that present both wide and narrow blade assemblies to the user. Moreover, there is a continuing need for such a hair clipper that rotates the blade assembly about an axis substantially normal to the cutting plane defined by the blade assembly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a clipper that presents both wide and narrow blade assemblies to the user.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple hair clipper having a rotatable blade assembly in which the assembly is rotatable about an axis substantially normal to the cutting plane defined by the blade assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a clipper with a blade assembly that rotates about an axis substantially normal to the cutting plane defined by the blade assembly so as to present to the user one of several different cutting edges.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rotatable clipper having a single cutting blade.